It’s time for the big election. And no, we’re not talking about Washington. We’re talking about the one that takes place annually in every co-op, condo building and homeowners association. It’s the election where unit owners have to appo…
Many condo owners want to get involved in their community but they soon find out that being on the board is no picnic. Soon neighbors are pestering them asking for feuds to be settled, decisions that affect all resident’s lives have to …
Wires and drywall were all that remained in a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath Wrigleyville condominium unit that its owner abandoned in 2009. The owner wasn’t paying on his mortgage or his monthly condo association assessments, prompt…
It's almost a mantra: the more you know, the better off you are—certainly when it comes to doing the job of a condominium or HOA board member. No matter how enthused and engaged a new board appointee may be, they don't come to the job k…
It is one of life’s eternal questions: is it possible to have too much of a good thing? That question certainly can apply to the matter of long-serving board members, those individuals who get elected and re-elected term after term. And…
As an attorney and an apartment dweller, Michelle F. has seen it all when it comes to living with difficult residents. “I lived next door to twin toddlers whose parents were both attorneys,” says Michelle, who in addition to being a real…
One of the trickier problems to deal with when you live in a co-op or condo is dealing with board members who sometimes let the power go to their heads. Even though they are entrusted with a great deal of responsibility to keep their a…
Remember your first day at a new school? Most likely, you didn’t know a soul, had no idea what the students were learning and you probably felt nervous, intimidated or maybe even afraid. In most cases, this is what it’s like to be a new …
Along with property managers, attorneys may be keepers of some of the best stories to come out of Chicagoland's condos and HOA communities. They hear and see (and litigate) it all, from the crazy cat lady who diversifies into African g…
You may think it’ll never happen to you. You're the nicest person around. You love your neighbors, and have never quarreled with the board of your condo community over anything. This is all great—but unfortunately, it doesn't amount to …